Signal-box.



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SIGNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1915.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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L J. VOORHEES.

SIGNAL BOX.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 23, 1915.

1204,21 5. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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LEE 3. VOORHEES, OF BINGHAMTON, 'NEVV TO THE GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TE'LE YORK.

YGRK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, GRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW SIGNAL-BOX.

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Application filed February 23, 1915.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, Lnn J. Voonirnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in S1gnal- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to signal boxes having a frangible plate and so constructed that upon the breaking of said plate, the signaling mechanism will be set in motion and so that when the signaling mechanism has been thus set in motion, a new frangible plate cannot be placed in position until the signaling mechanism has been again conditioned for operation.

The objects of this invention are to enable such signal boxes to be more econormcallv manufactured. to render such boxes more reliable and efficient in operation and to attain the new results hereinafter described and more fully pointed out in the claims.

In constructing this invention, a suitable signaling train is provided having a windable driving force, signaling contacts, means operable by the driving force for causing said contacts to act to formulate the desired signal and an escapement or other governing means for regulating the speed of operation of the signaling contacts.

A detent for the si naling train is provided, preferably arranged to cooperate with the escapement or governing mechanism so as to be adapted to hold the signaling train against operation by the driving force and to be readily disengaged therefrom by the expenditure of a comparatively small amount of energy, and having a tendency impart-ed thereto to release said train.

A frangible plate is mounted in suitable relation to the signaling mechanism and a starting member is arranged to be held against the tension of a spring by means of such frangible plate and to have movement inmarted thereto by such spring when said frangible plate is broken. The starting member may be of any suitable form, as for instance, a slidable plunger.

Qperating means is provided for the cletent, preferably comprising an operating lever and a holding lever. The operating Specification of Letters Patent.

llatented Nov. T7, 191%.

erial No. 9,963.

lever is adapted to be moved into position to cause the detent to. hold the train when the starting member is in the position which it is adapted to assume when it is not being held by a f "angible plate, and said oper ting lever is adapted to cause or permit the release of the train from said detent when said starting member is in its normal position, in which it may be held by a frangible plate. The holding lever is adapted to retain the detent in holding position when said starting member is in the position in which it is adapted to be held by a frangible plate and to be permitted to move to a position which will allow the release of the train from the detent when said starting member is in the position it is adapted to assume when not held by a frangible plate. A latch is provided which is adapted to so engage with the operating lever as to hold said lever in the position where it permits the detent to release the train.

A. look is provided for the starting memher which constantly tends to move to a position where it will hold the starting memher in the position to which it is adapted to move when it is not held by a frangible plate. Means o erated by the train are provided for moving the lock to disengaged position only when the train is conditioned for the transmission of a signal and for withdrawing the latch from engagement with the operating lever at the completion ot the transmission of a signal.

For the purpose of enabling this invention to be more clearly understood, a signal box is shown in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described which embodies the various features of this invention, but this invention is not limited to the construction shown and described as various changes in form, and additions or omissions of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Like characters of reference denote the same part throughout the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signal. box embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the signaling train showing the detent and controlling mechanism therefor with the parts in position which they occupy at the completion of a signal..

Fig. 3 shows the detent and controlling mechanism of Fig. 2 in set position. Fig. t is a rear elevation of the signaling train showing the circuit controlling contacts. Fig. 5 is a section of the signaling mechanism shown in the other figures on the line 55.

Referring to Fig. 1, 11 is a door adapted to be secured to a suitable containing case (not shown) by means of the hinges 12. Upon the front side of this door, there is provided a housing consisting of the side walls 13 and 14, the roof portion 15 and the partition 16, which extends between the walls 13 and 14 near the lower ends of said walls but which projects a less distance from the door 11 than said side walls. Near the botto of the housing a holder is provided which is adapted to receive the edge of a frangible plate, said holder consisting of the post 17 having formed therein the shoulder 18 which extends a sutficient distance from the front faceof the door 11 to permit a frangible plate 19 to be supported upon said post in a position substantially parallel to the front surface of said door, between the side walls 13 and 14, in front of the partition 16, and behind the shoulder 18. Suitable means is provided in the roof of the housing for retaining the frangible plate 19 in substantially parallel relation with the door 11, consisting of a lock having the bolt 20, adapted to be extended in the path of the upper edge of the frangible plate 19, and

subject to the control of a key which may be inserted through the keyhole 21.

' A suitable signaling train is mounted on he rear side of the door 11, as shown in Fig.

' said train being provided with a winding haft (see also Figs. 1 and 2) and a fran- )lc plate controlled starting member conting of a plunger Lo, access to said windg shaft 22 being provided through the door 11 inside of the housing on the front of said-door, and the plunger 23 being arranged to project through said door and rest against the frangible plate 19 so that the forward movement of said plunger may be restrained by said plate. A 2-1 is so applied'to the plunger 23 as to tend to move said plunger forward through the door 11. A shoulder 25 moving with the plunger '23 is so formed as to be adapted to be engaged by suitable lock for holding Raid plunger against movement, and is adapted to impart suitable movement to coengaging levers when the plunger is operated. The operating lever 26 and the holding lever 27 are loosely pivoted at 28 so as to be adapted for independent movement, the pivot 28 being secured to the front plate 29. V r

The projections so and 31 extend forwardly away from the front plate 29, the projection. 30 being carried by the operating suitable spring and 31 are so disposed in the path of the shoulder 25 that when the plunger 23 is moved against the tension of the spring 24 to the position where it may be held by the frangible plate 19, the ends of the levers 26 and 27 adj acent to the plunger 23 will be so moved away from said plunger that the end 38 of the detentwill be held in engaging position during such movement of said plunger.

A latch 32 pivoted at 33 is mounted in such relation to the operating lever 26 as to be adapted to so engage an end of said lever as to hold said lever in the position to which it may be moved by the engagement of the shoulder 25 with the projection 30. A spring 32 and the operating lever 26 as to tend to move the portion of said operating lever ad j acent to the plunger 23 toward said plunger and to tend to move the engaging portion of he latch 32 to engaging position.

he detent 35'consists of a rod having one end attached to the lug 36 and the other end 34 is so connected betweenthe latch ing lever 27 and adapted to be moved by either of said levers into engagement with the escape wheel 37. The lug 36 is preferably carried by the operating lever 26, but said lug may, if desired, be carried by the holding lever 27 or said 'detent 35 maybe attache-cl directly to the front plate'29.- The dctent 35 is of such form and material as to be flexible and tends constantly to swing its free end 38 out of the the escapewheel 37.

1 1e winding shaft 22 is connected to the main gear 39 by means of a suitable winding ratchet, and the driving means for said shaft mayconsist of a suitable motor spring or weight applied thereto in any well known manner, for instance as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4:.

path of'the teeth of arranger. to drive the escape wheel 37, the escapemcnt pallet 42' being provided for siizitably regulating the movement of said escape wheel 37. i 7

The separately insulated contactsdfi and {r6 are mounted upon the insulating block 1-7 and the signaling lever is arranged to. suitably cooperate with said contacts "and witha signal wheel is carried by. the shaft so sired signalupon the'rotation of the signal wheel 44:. 7 r

A lock is provided for the plunger sist-ing of the flexible arm 45:8 which is m unted in suitable relation to the shoulder 25% and front plate 29 so that when'the frangible plate 19 has been broken, and the plun- 23, conn gear 39 and bears the gear 41 which is" ger has been moved forward far enough, in response to the action of the spring 24, to permit the lever 27 to move to allow the detent 35 to release the train, the free end of the arm 48 may move between the shoulder 25 and the front plate 29, and thereby lock the plunger 23 against rearward movement.

A tripping member is provided for the latch 32 and the flexible arm 48, comprising the arm 49 carried by the winding shaft 22 and the projection associated therewith. The arm 49 is so formed with relation to the flexible arm 48 that when the winding shaft 22 has been rotated to so wind the train as to condition it for the transmission of its intended signal, the free end of said arm 49 will be brought into engagement with the flexible arm 48 so as to swing the free end of said flexible arm out of the path of the shoulder 25 to the position shown in Fig. 3, and thereby permit rearward movement of the plunger 23. Said arm 49 is arranged to permit the flexible arm 48 to move into the path of the shoulder 25 upon comparatively slight movement of the signaling train after it has been released.

The projection 50 is so positioned with relation to the latch 32 and the shaft 22 as to be adapted to move said latch out of the path of the operating lever 26 after the completion of the transmission of the intended signal.

The operation of the signal box shown in the accompanying drawings is as follows: To condition this signal box for operation, a suitable winding key is placed upon the winding shaft 22 and said shaft is turned counterclockwise until the arm 49 is in the position shown in Fig. 3 where the shaft 22 will be retained by the action of the ratchet connecting said shaft with the main gear 39. Overwinding of the train may be prevented by the engagement of the pro jection 50 with the latch 32, which will prevent the winding shaft 22 from being turned far enough beyond the position shown in Fig. 3 to enable the next tooth of the ratchet to catch, or any suitable stop may be provided in the path of the arm 49 or of any part or arm which may be provided for the purpose and arranged to move with the shaft 22. The bolt 20 should be withdrawn, and a frangible plate 19 should now be placed in position (see Figs. 1 and 5) so as to hold the plunger 23 in its rearward position, and bring the shoulder 25 into such engagement with the projections 30 and 31 as will move the levers 26 and 27 to the position shown in Fig. 3 where the operating lever 26 is held out of engagement with the detent 35 and is latched in position by the latch 32 and the holding lever 27 is holding the detent end 38 in the path of the teeth of the escape wheel 37. When the frangible plate is in position, the bolt 20 should be moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 to retain the upper edge of the plate. If now the frangible plate 19 is fractured, the spring 24 will move the plunger 23 forwardly and thereby carry the shoulder 25 out of operative engagement with the projection 31 and thus permit the detent 35 to move the holding lever 27 so as to permit the end 38 of said detent to swing out of the path of the teeth of the escape wheel 37 whereupon the signaling train will be set in motion in response to its motive power and the circuit through signaling contacts 45 and 46 will be alternately opened and closed as the notches and projections of the signal wheel 44 are successively brought into engagement with the signaling lever 43.

When the parts are in normal or set position, as shown in Fig. 3, the free end of the flexible arm 48 is carried but slightly out of the path of the shoulder 25, and it is therefore evident that when the signaling training is released, just described, the arm 49 will permit the free end of the fiexi ble arm 48 to swing between the shoulder 25 and the front plate 29 upon comparatively slight operation of the signaling train, thus locking the plunger 23 in its forward position in which it projects through the plane occupied by a frangible plate when in normal position, and thus prevents the placing of a plate in such position and any rearward thrust imparted to the plunger 23 will clamp the end of the flexible arm 48 between the shoulder 25 and the front plate 29 and will not tend to create any interference with, or drag upon the running of the train.

Upon the completion of the desired operation of the signaling train, the projection 50 is carried by the shaft 22 into engagement with a portion of the latch 32, so as to swing said latch out of the path of the operating lever 26 whereupon said operating lever 26 is so moved by the spring 34 as to carry the end 38 of the detent 35 into the path of the teeth of the escape wheel 37 and thus arrest the operation of the signaling train. When the signaling train has been thus released and operated, it is evident that it must be wound again before a new frangible plate can be placed in position, and when so wound, the flexible arm 48 will be swung out of the path of the shoulder 25 through the engagement of the arm 49 with said flexible arm, and the latch 32 will be left free by the projection 50 so that it may act in response to the spring 34 to engage and hold the operating lever 26 when said lever has been swung by the rearward movement of the plunger 23.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A windable signaling train, an operating lever associated therewith, a flexible detent rod for said train carried by said operating lever, a holding lever adapted to prevent movement of said detent rod with the operating lever in one direction, a latch adapted to hold the operating lever in posi tion to carry the detent out of engagement with the signaling train, a spring so con.- necting said latch and said operating lever as to tend to move them to their respective engaging positions, a plunger adapted to successively operate said levers when moved in one direction, a spring for moving said plunger in the opposite direction, and a frangible plate for holding said plunger against the tendency of said spring.

2. In a signal bOX having a frangible plate for controlling the starting thereof; a spring pressed plunger adapted to be held in compression by said frangible plate; a signaling train; two separately movable levers each adapted to independently cause said signaling train to be held against operation, said levers bein adapted to such cooperation with the plunger that when said plunger is in compressed position one of said levers will be held in holding position and the other of said levers will be held in released position, and so that when said plunger has moved away from its compressed position both of said levers will be free to move either to release or to stop said train; and meanscontrolled by the running of the train for shifting the position of both of said levers when said plunger moves away from its compressed position.

8. A windable signaling train; a detent for said train comprising a flexible resilient member having a tendency to release said train; an operating lever and a holding lever associated with said detent; means released by therunning down of said train for moving the operating lever to condition said detent to stop the train; a starting member adapted to be manually moved to set the operating lever to permit the detent to disengage said train and to condition the holding lever to influence said detent to hold the train, said starting member having a tendency constantly imparted thereto when in manually set position to move said starting member to a position where it will permit the holding lever to move to allow the detent to release the train; and a lock for holding said member against manual operationso connected with said train as to be rendered ineffective only when said train is fully wound.

4. A. windable signaling train, a detent for said train an operating lever constantly tending to act to condition said detent to hold said train, a starting member adapted to be manually moved to set said operating lever to cause or permit the release of the train from said detent, a latch for holding of said starting member to set the operating v lever to permit the release of the train from the detent, and a lock for the starting memher constantly tending to act to' hold the starting member against manual movement and so connected with said train as to release said starting member only when said train is fully wound.

5. In a signal box having a frangible plate for controlling the starting thereof: a spring pressed plunger constantly tending to move through the plane occupied by said frangible plate; a windable signaling train; a lock for said plunger controlled by said train; a detent for said train; an operating lever movable in one direction by said plunger, carrying said detent and arranged to positively move said detent to holding position and to yieldingly move said detent-to released position; a holding lever adapted to be engaged by said plunger to retain the detent in holding 1}OSltlOI1,'?=l1Cl upon the breaking .of the frangible plate to bepermitted to move to released position in re sponse to the resiliency of the yielding connection between the operating lever and the detent; a latchadapted to hold, the operating lever in released position and to be disengaged therefrom by the movement of a part moved by the train; and a sp ing so applied to said latch and operating 7 lever as to tend to move said latch to en gaging position and to move said operating lever to holding position.

6. A windable signaling train; a starting member for said train adapted to be manually moved in one direction and having an operating'force constantly tending to move said member in the opposite direction; a twopart detent mechanism for said train having one part to which a tendency is constantly imparted to condition s 'd part to hold said train against operation and said part being adapted to. be conditioned to permit the operation of the train upon the manual operation of the. starting member, and

having a second part arranged to be con 7 ditioned to hold said train upon the manual operation of the starting member and to so act before such manual operation of the startingmember conditions the first named detent member to release the train; means controlled by the running of the train for maintaining the first named detent member n released posltion; and lock socontrolled by a part moving with the train as to prevent, during the running of thetrailnsuch movement of thestarting member as will interfere with r prevent the intended operation of the train.

7. In a signal box having a frangible plate for controlling the starting thereof; a windable signaling train; a detent for said train; an operating lever carrying said detent and arranged to positively move said detent to holding position and to yieldingly move said detent to released posit-ion; a holding lever adapted to retain the detent in holding position; a latch adapted to hold the operating lever in released position and to be disengaged therefrom by the movement of a part moved by the train; a spring so applied to said latch and said operating lever as to tend to move said latch to en'- gaging position and to move said operating lever to holding position; means operable by the frangible plate when in normal position for moving the operating lever to released position where it may be engaged by the latch and moving the holding lever to holding position, and whereby said holding lever will be permitted to move to released position in response to the resiliency of the yielding connection between the operating lever and the detent upon the breaking of the frangible plate.

8. A windable signaling train, a detent for holding the train, a holding lever and an operating lever for said detent, a reciprocating member for controlling said levers upon the complete cycle of motion of saidmember, said member being adapted-to be manually moved to shift the levers in one direction, an operating force for said member adapted to have ener y stored therein during the manual movement of said member for shifting said levers in another direction, a frangible plate adapted to hold said member against said operating force, and a loclr for holding said member against said manual movement except when said train wound, which is independent of the train, but adapted to be moved upon winding the train to release said member.

9. A win'dable signaling train; a detent for holding the train, a holding lever and an operating lever for said detent, a reciprocating starting member for controlling said levers upon the complete cycle of motion of said member, said member being adapted to be manually moved through a part of its cycle and being adapted upon such movement to be automatically moved, upon release, through the remainder of its cycle; a. frangible plate; supporting --means for mounting said frangible plate in position to hold said starting member inmanually operated position against automatic operation to complete its cycle; a. lock adapted to hold said starting member in position to prevent mounting said frangible plate in its said position, and so controlled by said train that it may act to hold said starting member except when said train is sufiiciently wound to be conditioned for the transmission of a signal, said lock being independent of the train so that any stress applied thereto in holding said starting member will not tend to impede the operation of said train but adapted to be moved upon winding the train to release the starting member.

10. In signal box; a housing adapted to receive and hold a frangible plate; a frangible plate for said housing; spring aressed plunger adapted when in one position to prevent placing the frangible plate in position in said housing where it may be secured therein, and when in a second position adapted to be held with its sping under compression by said frangible plate when said plate is secured in its housing; a loclr for holding said plunger in its first named position; a. windable signaling train; and detent mechanism therefor comorising two levers adapted to be suitably operated by the movement of said plunger from its first namec position to its second named position, said detent mechanism being so con structed and arranged that when said plunis in one position the running of the train will be prevented by one member of said detent mechanism, and when said plunger in its other position the running of .said train may be prevented by the other of said members.

11. ln asignal box; a housing adapted to receive and hold a frangible plate; a frangible plate for said housing; a spring pressed plunger adapted when in one position to prevent placing 'one frangible plate in position in said housing where it may be secured therein, and when in a second position adapted to be held with its spring under com; ression by said frangible plate when said plate is secured in its housing; a lock for holding said plunger in its first named position; a windable signaling train; and detent mechanism for said train comprio ing two levers, one of which may move to permit the running of the train only when said plunger is in its first named position, and the other of which may move to pre-' vent the runi'iing of the train except when said plunger is in its second named position; means controlled by the running of the train for moving said second named member to prevent the running of the train; and means operated by the train for renderin said loclrineifective when said train is conditioned for the transmission of the signal.

12. A windable signaling train; a detent mechanism for said train comprising two levers either of which may be conditioned to render said detent elfective; a spring constantly tending to move one of said levers to render said detent effective; a starting member so co-engaging with said levers that I member will first condition the lever not connected with the spring to cause the hold- 7 ing of the train and then condition the spring driven lever to permit the running of the train; a spring constantly tending to act to move said starting member to its first named position; a latch for holding the spring driven lever in the position to which it may be moved by the starting member; means for withdrawing said latch upon predetermined operation of the'train; afrangible plate; means for mounting said plate in the path of the starting member only in such position as will retain said starting member in its second named position; a lock for holding said starting member in position to prevent mounting said frangible plate in its said position; and means operable by the Winding of said train. for withdrawing said lock.

13. A windable signaling train; a detent mechanism for said train comprising two levers either of which may be conditioned to render said detent efiective; a spring constantly tending to move one of said levers to render said detent effective; a starting member so co-engaging with said levers that when in one position said levers are unaifected thereby, and when moved from said position to another position said starting member will first condition the lever not connected with the spring to cause the holding of the train andthen condition the spring driven lever to permit the running of the train; a spring constantly tending to act to move said starting member to its first named posltion; a latch for holdlng the s rin driven lever in the osition to which it may be moved by the starting member; means for withdrawing said latch upon predetermined operation of the train; a frangible plate; means for mounting said plate in the path of the starting member only in such position as will retain said starting member in its second named position; a lock for holding said starting member in position to prevent mounting said frangible plate in its said position; and means operable by the winding of said train for withdrawing said lock, the connection between said lock and said train being so constructed and arranged that the intended running of the train will not be interfered With or controlled in any Way by any stress applied to said lock by the starting member or by the failure of said lock to act to hold the startingmember.

14. A windable signaling train, a detent for said train, an operating lever and a v holding lever for said detent, the operating lever being arranged to move the detent into position to engageand stop the train, and the holding lever being arranged to hold said detent in engaging position, a starting member adapted to be moved into said position, and when so moved to move said holding lever into holding position and to return 7 said operating lever to normal position, said holding lever t5 allow the detent to release 1 the train. V

15. A windable signaling train, a detent for said train, an operating lever and a holding lever for said detent, the operating lever being arranged to move the detent into position to engage and stop the train, and the holding lever being arranged to hold said detent in engaging position, a starting member adapted to be moved into said position, and when so moved to move said holding lever into holding position and to return said operating lever to normal position, said. starting member,- when released, moving into abnormal position and permitting the holding lever to allow the detent to release the train, and means controlled by the train in running to cause or permit movement of the operating lever to move the detent into engaging position.

16. A signaling train, detent controlling mechanism therefor, a reciprocating starting member With associated actuating spring for releasing said mechanism to start the train, a frangibleplate arranged to hold L. J. voonnnns.

lVitnesses:

H. F. HoL'roN, F. H. DUFFY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

